Have you ever been fat shamed?

1. 87

   misterhollywoodposted 8 years ago

   
   
   Today, I was walking with a friend who is a little overweight and saw first hand what she had to put up with. As we were waiting on the corner to cross the street, two guys in a car slowed down and called her a "fat pig" - and then made "moo" sounds. I was horrified as she broke down into tears.
   
   I told the jerks to keep driving and they sped off.
   
   I felt so bad for her. She told me that she gets made fun of all the time for being heavy. She called it fat shaming.
   
   So I am wondering, has anyone here ever been fat shamed?

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   1. 82

      Stacie Lposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Those two idiots are insensitive and stupid to boot! Fat pigs don't make "moo" sounds!
      Women have it harder than men and we are expected to look like models. Media has a big role to play in this. The Dove company and other sites are trying to turn this around.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DdM-4siaQw

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         misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Hi, Stacie,
         
         Thanks and wow that video has a powerful message!

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         kenneth averyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Time was, I was given the name of "Big Un," by a grade school teacher and most of my classmates. But I was so happy to be what I thought was "accepted" into an all-city school system being that I came from a rural school, that I thought these jerks liked me.
         Yes, I said jerks. Insensitive, lacking of compassion. This was in 1965. Now its 2016, the scars from these comments still exist.

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            misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Horrible, Ken. Truly. Interesting how words haunt us so many years later.

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               kenneth averyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               misterhollywood, thanks, my friend, for the understanding. But to top that and I promise to NOT further this topic.
               What makes this even worse is that Hamilton, AL., is a small, ruralistic "Mayberry" of a town and all know all and all about all. I see these same jerks who were so ugly to my friends and I who did not have a choice but to merge with the city school system when the rural schools were discontinued by the "powers that be" the Alabama Dept. of Education, but at the least, "we" got a taste of what the African-Americans felt when they went into the white schools. Awful is not the word to describe being tormented verbally almost each day by teachers and students whose parents were rich and had pull with our school board. Politics at its worst.

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                  misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I can't even imagine. Wow that's powerful. I'm sure they would have loved my tribe - the gays lol.

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      3. 85

         gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Women are routinely fat shamed if they are beyond a size 8.   There are women who consider themselves fat if they are a size 10!   This obsession with thinness is the reason why so many women have eating disorders.   Not everyone is a size 8.    There are beautiful plus size women out there.   Melissa McCarthy & Gabourey Sidibe are plus sized- people can fat shame them all they want but they can counter back with a PUNCH!   Melissa & Gabourey aren't ASHAMED- they are QUITE HAPPY where they ARE!
         
         

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            Solarasposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I know a very pretty girl: 5'9" and size 8.  She looked into modeling and they told her she would be a plus size model  Ridiculous.

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               gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Plus size at SIZE 8, beyond unbelievable! This shouldn't surprise because there is a SIZE 0, believe it or not.  Size 0!!!!!

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         Sneha Sunnyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         haha! I was wondering the same thing: a pig doesn't make "moo" sound!

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            misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I know, right? But remember these were ignorant jerks that wouldn't know a pig from a cow. lol.

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      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Judging and shaming people because of appearances is just not a cool thing to do.  It shows a great lack of respect and compassion for individuals who can be the most respectful and compassionate people anyone could know.  Some of my closest friends in life have been obese.
      
      Personally, I have been told I am skinny and have chicken legs by people who were heavy, but I never felt the need to call them something in reference to their appearances. I maintain my weight with diet and exercise. 
      
      People must get some sense of comfort, power or pleasure from shaming others that I don't understand, otherwise I don't think they would do that.  Its like a Beavis & Butt-head mentality.

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2. 83

   Sneha Sunnyposted 8 years ago

   How insensitive of them! Yep, I've been called fat in the past. People should realize that there's so much more about a person other than looks. And fat is not equal to ugly. I've seen and met some really awesome plus size people. They mostly have really great sense of humor, I must say.

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      gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      Yes WE do.  Okay, okay, I am out of the closet-yes I am a plus size woman.  PLUS SIZE.  Progressed from chubby, overweight, now plus size.   Accepted & even proud of my plus factor.

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         misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I wish more people had this attitude. My friend seems to be trying to work on this. Thanks for sharing.

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            gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            You are QUITE WELCOME INDEED!

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         Sneha Sunnyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         haha! And confident!
         
         There's really nothing to be ashamed about it. I'm chubby. Always been. And I'd rather be a bit chubby than skinny. It's not the chubby/overweight/plus sized people that should be ashamed of their bodies. Those who try to body shame others should be ashamed of themselves.

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            gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            EXACTLY!!!
            

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3. 82

   Solarasposted 8 years ago

   There is a movement to blame overweight people for their lifestyle choice (being overweight) and the resulting drain on the healthcare system.  The argument goes: being overweight is bad for your health, causes high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease etc... Skinnies that are also fat haters say they don't want to subsidize the healthcare of those who chose to make themselves ill by eating too much.
   
   It is very similar to the blame smokers get for having smoking related health issues, those that don't smoke resent smokers for getting cancer, strokes or heart disease and the associated cost to cure them.  As a result smokers are punished with sin taxes on their smokes that double the cost of smoking and are forced to smoke in the woods, far away from any public buildings.
   
   Similarly overweight people have to pay for a second seat on airlines and are judged by a segment of society as being unable to control themselves, and therefore unable to be effective employees etc...

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      kenneth averyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      This is NOT a knock on fat people who are this way not by choice, but to those overweight people who COULD stop eating, not exercising, etc., and get a healthy lifestyle . . .my only question is: "Is there not a limit to how much a person can eat, sleep, and seldom exercise and weigh?" Just wondering.

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4. 81

   Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years ago

   The mind body spirit connection must be considered. When a person is overweight it has to do with both physical and mental/spiritual causes. Hormones come into play and strongly influence eating habits. Food is also comfort for many. Perhaps it starts in early childhood when the baby did not get enough nursing time.
   
   Fat shaming is horrible and no one should go there. We need to accept everyone. As they are.
   
   Most people who have excess weight just cannot help it. Do you think they are happy about it? No. Everyday they struggle with their weight issues. What to eat and NOT eat. What to wear. How to be. We can help them find solutions without blaming, ridiculing and cajoling. And in the end if a person who is carrying around a lot of weight can't lose it, that's okay because they can adjust and just be happy with it. Why would anyone want to interrupt their happiness and joy of life? A lifetime is too short to focus on just the physical. If Obama care is causing others to point fingers, thats horrible. Get rid of it, I say. (but, also the fingers.)
   TWISI

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      kenneth averyposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Hi, Kathryn,
      You bring up a lot of valid points in your post. I not only agree with you, but I too, (formerly) struggled with weight and such. But last November, I had to stay an entire week in a hospital to get help for Congestive Heart Failure. The doctors pumped off 57 pounds of fluid in and around my heart and chest.
      Thank God there were not blockages in my heart when the Heart Cath was administered, but my eating habits and material has drastically changed. No more junk food, sweets, etc. I am on the Mediterranean Diet and the things on this plan has helped me to drop 108 pounds and my heart is back up to its workable percentage as it was when I was admitted to the hospital.
      I also got more active than I used to be and I hope you, Kathryn, were not offended at my post--I was not bashing overweight people, but asking to the overweight who COULD help themselves with exercise and sensible heating but do not choose this as a help.
      I fully-relate to those who are overweight without choice. I am sure, as you do too, these have deeper issues to solve than just dieting.
      Right?

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5. 87

   Annsaloposted 8 years ago

   No, but I was skinny shamed for many years. I have been chunky, I have been a stick, I have been society's opinion of healthy, and I have been "thick". Personally I prefer thick.
   
   I have a thyroid disorder, if I am not careful, and I mean extremely careful I will be overweight. But for some reason when I was a teen and first half of my 20's I was beyond a stick figure. I am 5'5 and weighed 90-95 pounds. It wasn't because I didn't eat, I ate constantly, but no matter what I never gained weight.
   
   My thyroid was acting backwards based on what it should have been. I got called a crackhead on a few occasions, told several times I needed to eat (as if I wasn't), and asked if I had an eating disorder.
   
   Even now, as a size 7 (yes I still wear junior sizing because I like how it fits better than women's sizing) I get that look from over weight women. God forbid I go somewhere like fishing and do it in a bikini top. I actually overheard a couple larger sized women say I was attention seeking this past weekend.
   
   I say all this to prove a point. We women are damned if we do and damned if we don't, but one reality, it IS women's fault. We shame each other for anything and everything, treat each other horribly, and generally are jealous hateful creatures. Nothing will change until women start to treat each other better!

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   1. 87

      misterhollywoodposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I've heard of muscle shaming with female body builders so this makes sense. Sorry you had to endure this - truly.

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